134 Visit Yanyan's villa at night, sneak into the ward, and eavesdrop on the recorder for Sun Lan - The Rich Second-Generation Villain With No Morals

When Qi Lin arrived at Qi Xueyao's room, he found the light on but silence within. As he stepped closer, he was startled to see Qi Xueyao lying asleep on the bed, uncovered by any blanket. Her fair feet pointed towards him. "This girl doesn't take care of herself at all. What if she gets sick while pregnant? What about the child then?" Qi Lin shook his head, walking over to tuck her in gently. However, as he lifted the corner of the blanket, he paused in surprise. What did he find on the bed? Next to her pillow lay a Barbie doll and an Ultraman toy, things completely incongruous with Qi Xueyao's mature image. After a brief moment of confusion, a small smile tugged at the corners of Qi Lin's mouth. "Even if Qi Xueyao resents me deeply, it cannot eradicate the brilliance of a woman's maternal love." "I don't even know if I'm pregnant, but I went out and bought two toys. Is this how you welcome a son like Ultraman? The Barbie doll is meant for when a daughter is born, isn't it?" Qi Xueyao was only lightly sleeping. He hadn't stood there for even a minute before she began to stir. Groggily, she opened her beautiful eyes and took a more focused look. "Wow~" Upon seeing Qi Lin grinning at the toys beside her pillow, Qi Xueyao's face immediately reddened. "What are you staring at? I just bought myself a couple of toys." She hastily grabbed them and got up to put them in a drawer. "I know, I know. I just came up to tell you to come down and eat." Qi Lin didn't bother to continue the charade with her. "I'm not hungry and don't feel like eating. Go eat by yourself." Qi Xueyao's face was now panicked and embarrassed, unwilling to meet Qi Lin's teasing gaze. But could she leave? Would he even let her go? "Ah!" With a surprise shout, Qi Lin swept her up into a princess carry. "Boom~" He awakened her with a kiss. "Ugh, ahh~ Qi Lin, you jerk, put me down!" Embarrassed, Qi Xueyao glared at him, pounding on his chest to let her down. But he was not about to oblige her whim. While Qi Xueyao was still flustered and indignant, Qi Lin brought her to the living room downstairs, setting her onto a chair. Faced with Qi Feng and Fang Yuanyuan's grinning faces, Qi Xueyao bit her lower lip, too shy to lift her head. After dinner, having teased Qi Xueyao yet again, Qi Lin went out. He was eighteen now, and neither Fang Yuanyuan nor Qi Feng could keep much control over him; they merely reminded him to not come home too late, and off he went. "It's 8 PM; time to head to Li Zhou's villa to investigate the car accident involving Sun Lan." Sitting in the driver's seat, he checked his watch, smiling thoughtfully to himself. When he was still some distance from Li Zhou's villa, Qi Lin parked his car to begin his disguise. Just as he had done earlier, he made himself look like Li Zhou. Post-makeup, there was an additional step; he donned a jacket, hat, and sunglasses, concealing his arms and neck. With that, Qi Lin exited the car, heading towards Li Zhou's villa. According to his plan, he aimed to scale the villa's wall directly, break into Li Zhou's home, pick his safe, and discover what secrets lay within. Of course, it would be ideal if Li Zhou were not at home, allowing him to search freely in disguise. However, as soon as Qi Lin managed to vault over the wall and land in the yard, he realized he had underestimated the situation. "Who goes there? How dare you trespass on private property!" Facing Qi Lin was a stern-faced man in a black suit, scrutinizing him intently. "Oh, great. I didn't expect Li Zhou to have a bodyguard at home," Qi Lin thought with humor, not having anticipated this. "Now that I've been discovered, the situation has changed—I can't just continue with the theft." "The man in the suit has an intense gaze, with prominent temples, resembling a martial arts master at first glance." "Qualified to protect Li Zhou's household, he must know some of Li Zhou's secrets." "Time for a meal!" With this thought, Qi Lin's eyes gleamed sharper, a plan forming in his mind directed at the bodyguard. "Too bad, I barely made it in before getting spotted. Oh well, since there's a watchdog here, I might as well leave first." Feigning defeat, Qi Lin turned and swiftly vaulted back over the wall to escape. He wasn't looking for a fight right there, not wanting to alert Li Zhou or metaphorically awaken a dragon. Burglars who run and call others 'watchdogs'—the suited man was enraged, hot on Qi Lin’s trail over several miles. Sensing the timing was right, Qi Lin finally stopped and turned around lazily to address the man. "You don't really think I'm running because I can't beat you, do you?" Daring to taunt, Qi Lin faced down the suited man with a challenging grin. "Enough talk, let's see who dares break into private estates today!" replied the man, launching an aggressive attack. Despite his formal attire, the suited man moved with impressive skill. By Qi Lin‘s estimation, he ranked among the top bodyguards, capable of handling dozens of ordinary people alone. Unfortunately, he was now up against Qi Lin, who possessed a formidable level of SSS-class Muay Thai skills. Qi Lin grinned slyly, colliding with the man without a hint of hesitation. "Cough, cough, cough~ How could this be?" After a few exchanges, the suited man stumbled back several steps, clutching his chest as blood trickled from his lips, staring at Qi Lin in disbelief. "He’s been training since he was eight, entering clandestine fighting circles by ten, and mercenary work in Southeast Asia by fourteen." The disbelief was mutual; however, Qi Lin cared little for the man's thoughts. Had he not chosen to go easy, one punch could have been the end for the man. Qi Lin shrugged, feigning urgency. "Lucky you; if no one were coming, I'd have sent you straight to hell." With that, Qi Lin swiftly vanished into the shadows. After ensuring no one was around, Qi Lin shed his clothes, resuming his disguise as Li Zhou, awaiting the return at the villa entrance. Five minutes later, Qi Lin watched as the suited man, holding his chest, stumbled back. "I witnessed everything earlier. Did you catch the intruder?" he questioned the returning bodyguard. Momentarily taken aback by 'Li Zhou’s' sudden appearance at the villa entrance, the bodyguard lowered his head apologetically. "Apologies, boss. The thief's strength exceeded mine greatly; had he not appeared unexpectedly, I’d likely be dead." 'Li Zhou’ patted the man's shoulder, sighing, "If you can't catch him, that's fine, I'm glad you're safe." "I suspect this stranger was drawn by past secrets—no friendly motives here." "And then?" The bodyguard looked puzzled. ‘Li Zhou’s expression turned cold, changing the subject abruptly: "By the way, what happened to the guy who hit my mother-in-law? Is he still okay?" The feigned jibe with a sudden topic shift was nearly irresistible. And the suited man fell right for it, replying earnestly, "After A Ming hit his wife and her mother with a car, he followed procedure and went to the dock as planned. I arranged for operatives to smuggle him into Southeast Asia." "With the boss's pay of ten thousand, he's faring decently there, under an alias, beyond anyone's reach except us." The bodyguard's words gradually unraveled the tragic event surrounding Yan Yan's family. Meanwhile, the recording pen hidden in Qi Lin’s pocket captured the guard's entire confession. Having achieved his aim, Qi Lin was not inclined to waste further words. Smiling, he instructed, "You did well; rest easy. Don't tell anyone about today." Finishing his instructions, Qi Lin turned and departed. "Today’s boss seems off," the suit-clad man mused at the retreating figure of 'Li Zhou,' perplexed. Yet, he couldn't imagine that this 'boss' was in fact an imposter in disguise. And so, Li Zhou’s secrets unraveled, completely unbeknownst to him, as the fake Qi Lin had played the part. Returning to his car, Qi Lin removed his disguise and drove to the Huamei Zixin General Hospital. Through the window, he noticed Sun Lan's room light was off, suggesting she'd fallen asleep, the nurse likely resting too. "Timing's perfect—no one's around to bar my way with future mother-in-law." Qi Lin grinned, transforming his appearance to resemble the female nurse he'd memorized earlier. Within minutes, Qi Lin, as ‘the nurse,’ entered the building, arriving at Sun Lan's room. Rather than rouse Sun Lan immediately, Qi Lin pulled up a chair at the bedside, discarding his disguise to show his true face. Quietly, he called, "Aunt Sun, Aunt Sun, please wake up." Sun Lan, who had been asleep, stirred at the sound of a voice. As she slowly opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar figure sitting by her bed, and she gasped. Sun Lan instinctively moved to call for help. Qi Lin, seeing this reaction, resignedly moved to cover her mouth, speaking softly, "Don't worry, Aunt Sun. I'm a friend of Yan Yan’s—I’m Qi Lin, she should have mentioned me to you." Sun Lan lay in her bed every day, unable to witness the world beyond her room. Qi Lin assumed that the filial Yan Yan would visit frequently, sharing stories about recent events in her life. True enough, upon hearing him state his name, the panic in Sun Lan's eyes dissipated significantly. She quickly blinked to signal Qi Lin to release her hand and not to call out again. "I've heard Xiaoyan mention you. She said you saved her from a crash where she almost got burned alive, risking your life in the process?" Someone willing to sacrifice for her daughter couldn't possibly be a bad person. Since her husband's passing and her own bedridden state, she rarely saw Yan Yan genuinely happy. However, Yan Yan had mentioned this with an unusual softness in her eyes last time, which endeared Qi Lin to Sun Lan. "Isn't it because I find Sister Yan Yan beautiful?" Qi Lin jested further. "To be honest, I'm slightly discontent with Aunt Sun. She said I was struck and captivated by Yan Yan’s beauty and demeanor the first time we met." "I simply wanted to take her home as my daughter-in-law, so without hesitation, I rushed to save her." Qi Lin continued to weave his tale. Hearing this absurd claim, Sun Lan was taken aback, then she chuckled, "Didn't Yan Yan tell you? She's actually married already." "If she weren't married, I wouldn't oppose you pursuing her, but right now..." Sun Lan assessed Qi Lin once again, before chuckling, "Kid, you must only be seventeen or eighteen, right? Yan Yan is thirty-three, about fifteen or sixteen years older than you. Even if nothing else, the age gap is considerable." Hearing this, Qi Lin pouted, "Aunt Sun, I'm here to talk about exactly this. Don’t think I didn’t notice—Sister Yan Yan is innocent in all this, right?" "That outdated gentleman of hers, Li Zhou, only fills the position without even enjoying it, wasting Yan Yan's best years. If I were her, I might've kicked that old guy out long ago." "As for the age difference, what’s the big deal? They say a younger wife brings wealth, and a younger partner adds thirty years to life. I adore sisters like Yan Yan." Sun Lan’s smile faded when Qi Lin bad-mouthed Li Zhou, a flicker of displeasure crossing her eyes. "Qi Lin, why are you speaking ill of Mr. Li like that? Although I feel for Yan Yan, marrying Mr. Li was entirely her choice. He helped our family greatly in the past, and we owe him." Qi Lin saw the confusion in Li Zhou’s seemingly benevolent façade. Sun Lan, unaware, regarded Li Zhou as a great man, despite the fact that her husband was indirectly killed by him, leaving her paralyzed. Upon hearing this, Qi Lin stopped joking, his tone sober, "Aunt Sun, I'm not here to belittle Li Zhou or jest." "The danger you and Sister Yan Yan face is the greatest yet. If I don’t intervene, you might join your husband in the afterlife." "Don’t these car accidents and his sudden leukemia strike you as anything but normal? Haven't you ever suspected these events were orchestrated by Li Zhou, all to deceive Yan Yan?" "To tame her, perhaps? To compel her into marrying him?" "That's absurd! How could Mr. Li Zhou do such a thing?" The rising mystery in Qi Lin's voice stirred excitement within Sun Lan. Qi Lin empathized with her suspicion, knowing she might be too invested to overlook certain truths. He presented two critical records from his pocket, evidence he had painstakingly gathered. "I've always felt something was off. I care for Sister Yan Yan deeply. Risking my life, I acquired evidence of Li Zhou’s schemes against your family. If, after hearing this, Aunt Sun still doesn't believe me, it’ll be as though I never came here at all." Qi Lin glorified his commitment, portraying his love for Yan Yan. To craft the image of the ideal future son-in-law in Sun Lan’s heart had been arduous and risky. Sun Lan, Yan Yan's only family in this world, was crucial. Qi Lin was in disbelief at his success in reaching her, as well as Yan Yan’s reluctance to heed her mother's warnings. Sun Lan's expression fluctuated. Contemplating deeply, she trembled slightly and asked Qi Lin, "I can't move, but could you play the recorder for me?" "Of course!" Qi Lin smiled, playing the recording of his conversation with the nurse. Upon hearing it, the delicate and beautiful woman found solace, embracing Qi Lin willingly. Having endured a car accident herself, only for her husband to soon succumb to leukemia—Qi Lin's words unleashed her suppressed thoughts. Coincidentally, the savior-like figure of Li Zhou then emerged. All this pointed toward the underlying shadows cast over her family's past disaster. Sun Lan's willingness to listen to the recording evidenced her belief in parts of Qi Lin's story.